The San Antonio Spurs are officially back.
Victor Wembanyama scored 35 points in his highly anticipated NBA playoff debut to lead the Spurs to a 111-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series. The 22-year-old phenom erupted for 21 first-half points, setting an NBA record for the highest-scoring opening half in a playoff debut since the league began tracking play-by-play data in 1997. He finished the night breaking the San Antonio franchise record for a playoff debut, shattering the 32-point milestone set by Tim Duncan in 1998.
The Spurs snapped a miserable six-season postseason drought that had haunted the organization since 2019. Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox provided crucial veteran support. They added 17 points each and combined for 15 assists.
The sold-out Frost Bank Center crowd was electric. Spurs Hall of Fame legends Tim Duncan and David Robinson sat courtside to witness the official start of the Wembanyama postseason era.
Portland struggled to answer the defensive pressure. Deni Avdija fought hard with a 30-point, 10-rebound double-double, and Scoot Henderson added 18 points. Trail Blazers head coach Tiago Splitter acknowledged the tactical mismatch after the final buzzer. “The Spurs put you in tough positions,” Splitter said. He pointed directly to Portland’s dismal 10-for-38 shooting from 3-point range as the primary reason for the Game 1 collapse.
What Wembanyama’s Game 1 Dominance Means for Gregg Popovich’s Legacy
The Spurs’ return to the postseason carries a massive emotional weight for the franchise beyond just breaking a six-year drought. As this young roster prepared for the suffocating pressure of a Western Conference playoff run, they were anchored by the enduring presence of former head coach Gregg Popovich.
The 77-year-old basketball icon, who is actively recovering from a stroke suffered in late 2024, addressed the team earlier in the week to share his championship insights. The fact that Wembanyama could effortlessly execute the Spurs’ legendary offensive system to break Duncan’s 1998 record proves the cultural foundation Popovich built remains completely intact. San Antonio is no longer just rebuilding. They are actively competing for a title.